The new Universal Wireless Throttles (UWT) from TCS mated with WifiTrax and NCE

Technology keeps evolving, and recently TCS released a line of "Universal Wifi Throttles" that would supposedly work with any DCC system using JMRI protocols, so I had to try them. Shown in the picture above, left to right, is the TCS UWT-50, the UWT-100, the WifiTrax model 31 Wifi signal generator built into an NCE faceplate, and an original NCE "Hammerhead" throttle several decades old. It all seems to work fine. The new throttles are wireless and easy to use, and the only limitation is that the WifiTrax network only supports 4 UWT's operating at the same time (although you can add your home network in for an additional 4). I particularly like that the LCD screens on the new throttles display the functions 0-9 (as opposed to the NCE's 0-6), which is important to me because I have all my locos set to activate the brake function on F9. When a loco doesn't move forward when asked, it's very nice to be able to see that the brake is still on.

The next picture shows the two UTP throttles side by side, for size comparison. The model 50 has a throttle knob (you can get either a potentiometer or encoder version) and the model 100 uses buttons and a thumbwheel similar to the NCE hammerhead. I like both of them a lot. The model 50 also has a button on the side that you can program to be whatever you want, but for example I could make it the brake button.

Finally, on the right is a picture showing that the new throttles easily fit inside the car card boxes that I have spread all over the layout, making them easy to keep track of as you move around the layout. I have found several of my operators have come to prefer these throttles very quickly after they tried them out.

Another great feature of adding the WifiTrax signal generator is that anyone can use their cellphone apps like WiThrottle without you connecting your DCC system to your home wifi system using JMRI. These throttles are sending commands into the NCE throttle bus without me having to set up JMRI myself. Of course, if I did set up JMRI and connect it to the layout, there would be a bunch more advantages, like the throttles would provide a readout of which function buttons control which functions, but that is for another day (month?). For now, I just wanted to quickly document that these throttles work and are already being used a lot. The new TCS DCC base station is also a very interesting new product, but I don't have one (yet) so I won't say anything more at this point. Stay tuned, though. If it works with my existing NCE throttles and boosters I might become interested...